Gaze-independent ERP-BCIs: augmenting performance through location-congruent bimodal stimuli

Abstract

Gaze-independent event-related potential (ERP) based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) yield relatively low BCI performance and traditionally employ unimodal stimuli. Bimodal ERP-BCIs may increase BCI performance due to multisensory integration or summation in the brain. An additional advantage of bimodal BCIs may be that the user can choose which modality or modalities to attend to. We studied bimodal, visual-tactile, gaze-independent BCIs and investigated whether or not ERP components’ tAUCs and subsequent classification accuracies are increased for (1) bimodal vs. unimodal stimuli; (2) location-congruent vs. location-incongruent bimodal stimuli; and (3) attending to both modalities vs. to either one modality. We observed an enhanced bimodal (compared to unimodal) P300 tAUC, which appeared to be positively affected by location-congruency (p = 0.056) and resulted in higher classification accuracies. Attending either to one or to both modalities of the bimodal location-congruent stimuli resulted in differences between ERP components, but not in classification performance. We conclude that location-congruent bimodal stimuli improve ERP-BCIs, and offer the user the possibility to switch the attended modality without losing performance.

Towards an Accessible Use of a Brain-Computer Interfaces-Based Home Care System through a Smartphone

“…Most BCI studies use Fz, Cz, Pz, Oz, and other electrodes to collect data [ 9 , 22 , 23 , 29 , 34 , 45 , 60 ]. Of these, Zhang et al also used the O1 and O2 electrodes to obtain data [ 10 ].…”

“…However, conventional BCIs have not become practical because they lack high accuracy and reliability and have low information transfer rate and user acceptability [ 44 ]. First, in a visual BCI system, although gaze is not a requirement [ 45 ], the presence of the gaze in a visual ERP-based BCI improves its performance. Thus, in the system, we prefer that the user stares at the GUI to select an option.…”

“…Thus, in the system, we prefer that the user stares at the GUI to select an option. If the users have lost their sight or cannot stare at the screen, it is more appropriate to use an auditory BCI [ 46 ] or the BCI system presented in the work of Thurlings et al [ 45 ].…”

A 36-Class Bimodal ERP Brain-Computer Interface Using Location-Congruent Auditory-Tactile Stimuli

“…BCIs exist to leverage most of our five fundamental senses; however, the olfactory and gustatory perception channels are less developed from evolutionary standpoint, and it is difficult to reliably deliver stimuli. Researchers have already conducted studies on multisensory BCIs based on visual, auditory and tactile stimuli (though mainly visual-auditory and visual-tactile) [ 40 , 41 ]. Due to multisensory integration, the human brain synthesizes the neural information of each sensory channel independently, thus evoking a stronger ERP under multi-modal stimuli, leading to enhancement of the classification accuracy in ERP-BCIs [ 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 ].…”

A gaze-independent audiovisual brain-computer Interface for detecting awareness of patients with disorders of consciousness

“…Compared to unimodal stimuli, congruent multisensory stimuli may activate additional neurons and result in faster behavioral responses and more accurate perception/recognition [ 18 , 19 ]. However, multisensory stimulus paradigms have rarely received attentions in the field of BCIs [ 20 ]. In this study, we concentrated on the potential benefits of employing audiovisual stimuli to improve BCI performance.…”